Right off the bat I will say that this recipe has some steps, and yeah, I know that kind of sucks, BUT you can pick and choose what you want to add.

Umm, you kind of need everything though, cause this bowl is KILLER.

And really, nothing is hard to do at all. Everything is mostly cooked on the grill, aside from frying those plantains….which is semi annoying yes, but if you like fried plantains then it is SO worth every last oil spray burn you may or may not get. UGH. The battles of frying.

I just really want to stress though, that even though this recipe seems long, and may look too involved, it’s actually not…I know, I know, right.

Most of the ingredients go into the marinade for the steak and then half of that marinade gets turned into the most amazing no-cook tomato sauce/salsa thing. Oh my gosh, it’s SOOO good and so simple! I have actually been making the sauce to serve with pizza and pasta. It’s that good, but I like it best served atop the grilled steak. AND I kind of love any excuse to get to eat/cook/photograph those pretty heirloom tomatoes.

Clearly I am a tad obsessed.

Alright, so that is the steak and sauce. Those are the two MUST makes, and also the simplest parts to the bowl.

The third is the grilled sweet potatoes wedges. Now you have to make these too, like no arguing, but if you don’t want to mess with boiling them and then throwing them on the grill, you can obviously just cook them in the oven as well. Whatever will work best for you. I left the seasoning simple and just used olive oil, salt + pepper. They really don’t need anything else. Especially when paired with all the other great flavors going on in the steak + sauce.

For the rest of the bowl, while I personally feel you should leave nothing out, you CAN pick and choose what you want to make or not make. For a base I went with some coconut cooked quinoa (which from now on, I will always be cooking my quinoa in coconut milk!). It’s delicious with the steak if you ask me, but I love eating a grain alongside my meat…again, carbs!

For added color, texture and health, I also added black beans, grilled corn and fresh tomatoes. All summer favorites, all easy to prepare and all are simply the best!

Oh and of course the plantains. I know I touched on these a bit earlier, but really, if you have never tried fried plantains, now is so very much the time. I guess they are not really a “healthy” thing, since yeah, they are fried, BUT the rest of the bowl is full of healthy, colorful things, so one fried thing is OK if you’re asking me.

But you know I can figure out a way to justify pretty much anything…it’s a talent I tell ya.

And also, not only can you prepare this dinner now, in the middle of summer, but it’s also the perfect meal for fall too. Don’t ask why I am thinking about fall (cause I am freak…and sort of excited for it), but you know, I just want to put it out there that it’s kind of an every season meal.

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: quinoa bowl, spicy, steak, sweet potato, tomato

And really, nothing is hard to do at all. Everything is mostly cooked on the grill, aside from frying those plantains....which is semi annoying yes, but if you like fried plantains then it is SO worth every last oil spray burn you may or may not get. UGH. The battles of frying.

Sweet Potatoes

Plantains

2sliceyellow plantainsinto 1/2 inch rounds

olifor frying

Instructions

Add the steak to a gallon size ziplock bag or glass pyrex dish.

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili peppers, paprika, ginger, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro. Pour about half of the sauce over the steak (the rest will be used for the tomato sauce). Rub the marinade all over the steak making sure the steak is well coated. Seal the bag or cover the pyrex pan and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Grab the tomato and finely chop it until it is practically a sauce. Scoop the tomato up and add it to the bowl with the remaining sauce (the sauce that has never touched the steak). Add the coconut milk and mix until combined. Season lightly with salt + pepper. Cover and store in the fridge before serving. Bring to room temp before serving.

To make the quinoa, add the coconut milk to a sauce pan and bring to a low boil. Watch closely as it boils over fast. Once the milk is boiling, add the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.

To make the fries + grilled the steak, preheat the grill to high heat. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potato wedges and boil for about 5 minutes or until just fork tender. Remove from the water and drain. Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt + pepper.

When ready, place the steak on one side of the grill and the sweet potatoes wedges on the other. Grill each for about 3-4 minutes per side or until charr marks appear. If your sweet potatoes wedges are thin or your grill is really hot, they will cook faster, so watch them closely. Also, if your grill is small, grill the steak first and then the potatoes.

Plantains

Heat an inch or so of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the plantains and fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until just lightly golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Now transfer the plantains to a cutting board and, using the back of a wooden spoon, smash them down into round disks. Return the plantains to the hot oil and fry another 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

Recipe Notes

*I either use leftover grilled corn or grill fresh corn while the steak is grilling **I like to begin cooking the plantains while the steak is grilling

Totally agree, I honestly can’t figure out how you crank our recipes like this everyday. Will send address for shipping purposes. Just kidding. Or am I? Maybe you can do a dinner giveaway. I’m sure steak ships really well.

Words cannot describe how good your photos are! Those tomatoes! I have never had plantains before. I know horror of horrors, but you’ve inspired me to go get some! Thanks for another great recipe Tieghan.

I meant to tell you a long time ago and kind of forgot, but I made this a couple days after you posted it! And oh my goodness, it was amazing! Absolutely delicious. I also made your peach Arnold Palmers to go with it and it was such a wonderfully yummy, perfectly summery meal! Thank you!

Did you come up with this idea yourself?! It seems AMAZING!! I want to try it out!!!!!!!!

And fried plantain: best. sh**. ever. Instead of deep frying them, I fry them lightly in a pan with just a bit of oil! And they’re as delicious! (I usually eat them sprinkled with a bit of sugar and freshly squeezed lemon!!!)

This sounds like the best hearty + healthy bowl situation…like you are still (mostly) adhering to your #cleaneating goals but won’t be jealous of the person next to you who went for the fried chicken and mac and cheese. Not sure what the Brazilian part of it is maybe the fresh tomato sauce is supposed to be similar to a vinagrete type sauce? But either way. I will be cooking my quinoa in coconut as well !

YUM this looks amazing! I have never seen coconut quinoa before but I can just imagine it would be just like a little bit of the tropics in your bowl 🙂 so good with corn too! Definitely saving this recipe for summer!

I made this last night and all I can say is HOLY COW WOW!!!! It def took some steps but every bit was totally worth it. I’ve never worked with plantains before and it was surprisingly easy and added a crunch to the power bowl. Now the real winner for me was that sauce🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 This is now going to be a staple in my house. The sauce was so good and so simple to make I was dreaming about it wanting to have it again today. Thank you!

Meet Tieghan Gerard.

I’m Tieghan, the recipes you’ll find here are inspired by the people and places I love most. I try to live simply, eat seasonally, and cook with whole foods. My hope is to inspire a love for amazing food, as well as the courage to try something new!